Porcelain Doll
by Da Cute Snowbunny
Summary: She was the most perfect being in his eyes. Although she never smiled, he knows it would be the most breathtaking smile he'd ever see if she did. And it would belong only to him.
1. Smile

**Porcelain Doll  
**DaCuteSnowbunny

* * *

- Smile -

* * *

No matter how many times he saw her, the expression on her face never changed. It remained forever still, like a living porcelain doll. The only indication that proves she was alive was the occasional blinks of her sea foam eyes. Otherwise, she was the perfect living imitation of a doll.

He is in love with her.

He never gets tired of looking at her flawless skin, glassy sea foam eyes, pastel pink locks, glossy pink lips, or how well the dresses compliment her slender body. Better than any man-made doll, her perfection cannot be recreated. He loves looking at her face, even if she never smiled. If she did though, he knows it would be the most breathtaking smile he'd ever see.

A smile that would be just for him.

A smile only _at_ him.

And _only_ him.

A wicked smile spread across his lips as he stared at the beauty from behind the glass walls. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted her for himself. After observing her for so long, he decided he would finally make his claim on her. From there, he will breathe life into her lifeless form. He wanted to see all the emotions known to man displayed on her porcelain face.

Anger.

Sadness.

Joy.

Lust.

Bashfulness.

Envy.

Love.

But most of all, he wanted to make this beauty _smile_. A smile that only belonged to him, and him only. The beauty that lived behind glass walls, forever on display for the world to see. A beauty that had never taken a step outside of her glass box, forever caged like a bird; like a tourist attraction. She is the world's first and only homunculus, a perfect artificial human.

Better than any man-made doll; The perfect creation.

"Sasori-danna, you've been staring at her for a while-yeah. Aren't you tired yet?" his attendant asked him, a curious look on his face. Although he knew his master came by every day to see the girl, today's visit seemed different to him. But Sasori merely shrugged and gave a noncommittal grunt. After another long period of silence, Sasori spoke up again.

"I want this girl." he stated bluntly. His attendant seemed to have become momentarily stunned at the statement before he broke out in laughter.

"Hahaha, good one danna-yeah!" he exclaimed before pretending to wipe a tear from his eye. Sasori gave his attendant a stern look that said it all- "Do I look like I'm joking?"

Deidara immediately froze after seeing the serious look on his master's face. A look he doesn't see unless his master was working on an important project. Deidara felt himself break out in cold sweat at his master's implications.

"B-but, danna! You know she's a national treasure! You can't just... _buy_ her!" he reproached in a hushed tone, hoping he could dissuade his master from doing something rash. His fears multiplied ten-fold when he saw his master smirk. A smirk that rarely appeared unless some serious business was going down.

"Legally or not, I _will_ have her." Sasori said with a devilish smirk on his lips. With a swish of his cloak, the pair disappeared without a trace.

* * *

For as long as she could remember, she had always lived behind these glass walls. The walls that separated her from the rest of the world. The world she knows nothing about, except for what she could see through the glass walls or what her caretakers tell her.

Every day, people would come in and out of her room to check up on her on. A man in a white coat with long black hair- who called himself Orochimaru, would come buy multiple times a day to inject her with a strange liquid. He told her it was necessary to keep her alive and moving. He was always gentle with her and always explained what he was doing to her.

He once told her that she was different from normal people. She never has to eat, because her body doesn't need it; only the medicine he injects into her. Her body will also never change; she will never age like normal people. He told her he envied her, because as long as she had medicine, she will live forever. But because she was special, she had to live in this special house to protect her from dangerous things.

Then there are the ladies who came by every day to bathe and dress her. They took great care of her, making sure she was comfortable and clean every day. However, unlike the man who gives her medicine, they don't tell her things nor do they try to talk to her.

During the day, many people come by her glass wall to see her. Like she was told, she would sit on her chair and be perfectly still. She may occasionally get up to stretch her legs, but she was not allowed to do anything more than that. Although she didn't understand why, she obeyed.

She enjoyed surveying the people on the other side of the wall. Sometimes they come by holding strange objects that she has never seen before, and sometimes they had some peculiar expressions on their faces. Their lips curve up a lot of times, sometimes even showing their teeth when they see her. Some times they curve down, causing their eyebrows to dip down as well. A lot of times the little people's mouths would drop open and their eyes look as though they were twinkling.

She wanted to know why their faces did that. She once tried making the same expressions, only to realize she didn't know how.

_Why do they make those faces?_

Although many people come by to see her every day, one particular man _always_ come by to see her. She could never forget his bold hair colour, or the way he looks at her. His intense stare causes a strange sensation to stir deep within her chest, so strange it almost makes her uncomfortable.

_But I don't dislike it_.

* * *

"Danna, you're serious aren't you?" Deidara's muffled voice called from the other side of the door.

"Of course Deidara. It's about time she finds a home." Sasori replied nonchalantly as he continued to carefully carve out the shape of a slender arm from the woodwork.

Sasori is a famous doll maker within the kingdom of Konoha. He is famous for his lifelike dolls that looked as though they could spring to life, his craftsmanship being second to none. His dolls are one of the most coveted items in the entire kingdom, but because of the ridiculous costs, only the wealthiest or royalty could afford them.

"But danna, if we get caught we'll be sentenced to death for sure-yeah!" his attendant cried in despair. Sasori's hand paused momentarily from his carving. Deidara's face brightened up, thinking his words had finally reached his master's ears.

"Just _who_ do you think I am Deidara?" he asked him darkly, his voice low. His question was met with silence, his attendant afraid to answer in fear of enraging his master even more.

Satisfied that he will not be interrupted anymore, Sasori got back to work on his "project". He stared almost wistfully at the face of the doll he was currently making. It was a perfect replication of the pink haired beauty that he stared at everyday. Though no matter how much his doll looked like her, he knew it could never compare to the real thing.

_And very soon, I will have you._

After several hours of serious concentration and hard work, the replica was finished. Sasori stood back to admire his handiwork alongside his attendant, who almost had to do a double take.

"All that's left is your magic, Sasori-danna." Deidara said quietly, sounding resigned. He knew his master would not change his mind now that he's made the replica. He could only support his master to the best of his abilities and hope they don't get caught.

Taking a small breath in, Sasori placed one hand on the doll's chest while the other hand formed a seal.

_Mit Augen aus Glas,  
und die Haut aus Porzellan,  
werde ich das Leben auf diesem Behälter geben.  
Mit einem Stück von meiner Seele,  
schenken Bewegung zu diesem heiklen Puppe. _

After he finished enchanting the spell, he kissed the doll on the forehead. The spell immediately took effect; the once still and rigid doll started to breathe and its eyes blinked occasionally. Deidara could only observe the scene in awe as he watched his master carefully lead the doll towards the door.

_And this is why danna is so freaking amazing-yeah_. He thought fondly as he watched the doll's graceful movements.

"Preparations are all done. The mission starts now." he said in a hushed voice before disappearing through the door, the doll trailing behind him obediently. Deidara grinned boyishly before running after his master, a heavy looking bag strapped to his waist.

"Wait for me danna-yeah!"

* * *

Breaking and entering was no hard task for the doll maker. Unknown to many, his father was a talented locksmith that was rumoured to be able to make the safest locks of all time. Only he would be able to crack the lock should the key ever be lost. Of course, in the hopes that Sasori would follow in his footsteps, his father taught him all he knew.

"If Sasori-danna's father knew his son would be using his skills for this purpose, he would probably roll over in his grave." Deidara lamented dramatically as Sasori easily picked the lock to the back entrance of where _she_ lived.

"Another word, and you will be joining my old man." Sasori replied stoically as he casually walked into the building. Deidara quickly slapped his hands over his mouth and meekly walked after his master. Carefully navigating through the dark house, the pair made sure not to bump into anything as they climbed the stairs that lead to _her_ room.

Once they reached _her_ room, Sasori carefully tested the knob- which was locked- before quickly getting the tools to pick the lock. Sasori felt his heart beat speed up, knowing just how close he was to _her_. He could barely contain his excitement as he slowly undid all the mechanisms within the lock.

_Click!_

Deidara had never seen his master smile so genuinely as the lock clicked open, resembling a kid who finally got the toy he wanted for so long. Slowly opening the door, the two stood in the doorway and quietly observed the sleeping beauty on the bed. The moonlight filtering through the windows gave her porcelain-like skin an ethereal glow, her pink hair surrounded her like a halo that added to the enchanting look.

Sasori's breathing quickened, his heart pumping as fast as if he had run a marathon. His steps were slow and careful as he walked to her bedside. He was now closer to the beauty of his dreams than before.

_Finally beyond the sheet of glass_.

His hand reached forward as if to stroke her cheek, but the look on his attendant's face made him halt. He quickly retracted his hand, which formed a fist. Taking one last lingering look at her sleeping face, he turned his attention to the thing he had been carrying the entire time. Setting it down gently on the floor, he untied the burlap bag and lifted the doll replica out. With swift movements, Deidara and Sasori were able to swap the homunculus with the doll replica.

"Be a good girl and do what you're told." Sasori whispered to the doll replica, who nodded obediently before closing its eyes as if going to sleep.

"The princess is secured danna. Let's hurry and get outta here-yeah?" Deidara asked as he carefully placed her in Sasori's arms. Sasori only nodded before the two quickly made their way out the room. Just as they reached the bottom of the stairs, a bunch of armed guards surrounded them.

"Aw man, what bad luck-yeah." Deidara groaned as he brought his hand to his face.

"Hn, you know what to do." Sasori said calmly as he took a couple steps behind Deidara as his attendant started to unzip the bag strapped to his waist.

"You gotcha danna-"

"Well well well, if it isn't the famous Sasori-sama and his attendant." a voice spoke from behind the ring of guards. Sasori's eyes narrowed as the guards parted to reveal Orochimaru, a cruel smile on his lips.

"How rare, for Dr. Orochimaru to show up in person to greet me. I'm honoured." Sasori replied with mock politeness before doing a little bow. Orochimaru's smile twisted into a smirk as he eyed the bundle in Sasori's arms.

"I believe you are holding one of the kingdom's treasure. If you would be so kind, please return her to me and I will pretend this never happened." Orochimaru said smoothly, his arms stretched out as if to receive her. A smirk appeared on Sasori and Deidara's lips, causing Orochimaru to frown slightly.

"Sorry doc, but whatever danna wants, he gets-yeah." Deidara said in a cocky voice before he threw several round balls of clay at guards and Orochimaru. The guards immediately moved in front to shield Orochimaru from the attack, but Deidara only smiled sadistically.

"Heh, you can't shield him from my explosive clay-yeah." Deidara explained as he and Sasori backed up to a window.

"Katsu!" he exclaimed and all the balls of clay exploded simultaneously, causing all the guards and Orochimaru to be blown back, as well as creating a huge hole in the wall. Under the cover of the smoke and confusion, Sasori quickly made his way through the hole in the wall while Deidara smashed the window and leapt through. Once the smoke cleared, the two had already disappeared.

"Orochimaru-sama! The thieves have escaped, but there seems to be two routes. Shall we split up and search?" one of the guards asked Orochimaru, who was silently fuming.

"Yes, now go quickly! They couldn't have gotten far."

"Roger!"

As the guards all left, Orochimaru made his way up the stairs to where the girl used to sleep. In her place, he saw it was a replica Sasori made. His hands clenched into fists, shaking in cold fury. The very creation that he made had been stolen from right under his nose. He walked over the doll and watched it slowly breathe in and out, as if it was sleeping. His hand wrapped around its fragile neck, but it didn't stir. He was very tempted to break the cheap replacement, but he thought better of it.

_If word gets out that she was stolen, the whole kingdom will be in an uproar_.

"Kabuto, make sure no word gets out about this incident. We _will_ get her back." Orochimaru hissed. A man walked out from the shadows and bowed deeply.

"Understood, Orochimaru-sama." with that, the man walked back into the shadows and disappeared. Orochimaru gave the doll one last glare before briskly leaving the room.

To be continued...

* * *

Recently I've been reading too many mangas that deal with dolls and artificial life. Though the one that inspired this is _probably_ Chobits, haha. The spell is in German, although it's been Google translated so.. it may have deviated a little from the original. xD

Well... let me know what you think! :)


	2. Sakura

**Porcelain Doll  
**DaCuteSnowbunny

* * *

- Sakura -

* * *

Every day had always been the same routine. Wake up, get dressed, get visits from Orochimaru and then sit in front of the glass wall. That was the only way of living she knew of and she never questioned it, although she has thought about the outside world more times than she could count.

But before she had even opened her eyes today, she knew something was different. First, the air in the room smelled different from how it normally did. There was an extra tang of something that she couldn't place in addition to the sweet scent that is familiar to her. The second thing is the slight rocking motion she felt as she lay on the bed. It was just a slight tilt to the left and right, but she noticed.

Her eyes slowly opened, the roof of a canopy bed greeting her. The unfamiliar sight took her by surprise, and she wondered when her bed was changed. Slowly sitting up in her bed, she surveyed her new 'room' before her eyes immediately locked onto the only other person in the room.

_It's that man_.

Only known as 'that man', the girl continued to stare at the familiar face, which was being propped up by his knuckle as he dozed on the chair beside her bed. His bright red hair fell over his eyes slightly, curtaining them from the few beams of sunlight that peeked through the partially closed curtains. Surveying the room once more, she came to the conclusion that she was no longer in her room, nor was she in the house with the glass wall.

_Then where am I?_

As if sensing her awakened state, the man slowly stirred awake. He rubbed his eyes of sleep before resting them on her. His stare was exactly the same as when he looked at her through the glass walls. It was intense and unwavering, as if he never wanted to look anywhere else. Slowly, his lips curved slightly upwards at the corners of his mouth, forming what is known as a _smile_.

"Good morning, Hime-sama." he spoke politely as he sat up properly in the chair. The girl only stared in response, since she had never been greeted that way before. Sasori could see the curiosity that sparkled in her eyes as she returned his stare.

_Hime-sama?_

"My name is Akasuna no Sasori." he introduced with that same gentle smile on his face.

_So this man is Akasuna no Sasori._

"I have always admired you." he confessed to her softly, his eyes filled with emotion; something that she doesn't understand. He could hardly sleep last night as he stared at the girl of his dreams, who was finally beyond the sheet of glass. When he had carried her last night, he could hardly believe she had been real because she was as light as a feather. However the small even breaths that she took was all the reassurance he needed to know she was real.

He slowly got up from his seat in the chair and moved to sit beside her on the bed. Her eyes followed his movements, but did not appear to reject the sudden closeness. She stared curiously up into his eyes, who bore into hers with more intensity than before. His hand slowly reached up towards her face, almost hesitantly, before placing it upon her cheek, the sudden warmth surprising her.

_Why is he so warm?_

Her eyes closed briefly, as she leaned slightly into the hand cupping her face. No one had ever done so, and it was so new to her. Sasori could barely contain his joy as he was finally able to touch her beautiful face, which always made his heart beat ten times faster. It was slightly cool to the touch, but it wasn't completely cold like real porcelain. His hand then slid towards the silky pink locks, which slid through his fingers as if they were quick silver. All of these actions were so new to the pink haired girl she wasn't sure how to react, other than to continue staring at the face of the man who was gently caressing her hair.

_But I don't dislike it_.

"Sasori-danna! It's time for bre- Oh! Sorry, am I interrupting something-yeah?" his attendant said in a cheery voice as he burst into the room, before taking in the sight before him and halted in his steps. Sasori gently retracted his hand before swiftly sliding off the edge of her bed and sat back in his chair.

"How many times must I tell you to knock before entering someone's room?" he told him in an annoyed voice as he glared at his attendant. Deidara rubbed the back of his neck in a sheepish manner before changing the subject.

"Breakfast is all ready danna. If you'd like, I could bring it-"

"No need. We'll have breakfast on the deck. Please stay here and keep her company while I go get the maids." Sasori interrupted, giving her one last smile before getting up to leave.

Deidara gave a mock salute as he watched Sasori walk out. Turning back to his master's 'princess', he observed the girl on the bed, who stared right back at him with those questioning green orbs of hers. Smiling brightly, he walked a little closer to the foot of the bed before introducing himself.

"Good morning Hime-sama, my name is Deidara, and I am Sasori-danna's most faithful, loyal and only personal attendant-yeah!" he said with a grin on his face before dipping into a low bow.

_Why do you call me Hime-sama?_

It was the second time she has been referred to as such. Although for as long as she knew, she had never been called a proper name. Of all the times Orochimaru had spoken to her, he had never addressed her by anything in particular, nor has he ever given her a name.

"So what's your name-yeah?" Deidara finally decided to ask, after a period of silence.

_I don't know_.

The girl briefly closed her eyes and shook her head in response. Deidara scratched his cheek, feeling slightly awkward since he wasn't sure how to hold a conversation with such a silent girl.

"You don't talk much-yeah?" he mused to himself. The girl tilted her head slightly to the side, as if asking a silent question.

_Am I allowed to speak?_

From what she remembered of Orochimaru's teachings, pretty girls were only meant to be seen but not heard. Reinforced by the fact that the silent maids that took care of her everyday, the pink haired girl has never once parted her pink lips to say a single word.

"You.. _can_ speak-yeah?" he asked her almost cautiously.

_I can talk?_ Her eyes seem to ask. Having never spoken a word in her entire existence, she wasn't sure she even knew how. So in response, she shook her head in denial, making Deidara deflate somewhat.

Recovering from his momentary lapse of silence, he was bent on cheering up the girl. "Don't worry-yeah, Sasori-danna would be able to get your vocal cords working in no time!" he said in a cheerful tone. The idea of being able to speak slightly piqued her interest, though she did wonder if she even had the ability to speak.

Sasori soon returned to the room with two maids in tow. The girls' appearances were nearly identical, both sporting soft lavender hair and bright blue eyes, but one had long hair to her lower back, whilst the other had short hair that almost touched her shoulders.

"I'm Haruka 1! At your service!" the long haired girl exclaimed in a cheerful tone as she stepped forward to introduce herself, finishing with a curtsey.

"My name is Haruka 2. Glad to be of service." the short haired girl said in a monotone voice, also ending her introduction in a slight curtsey. The pink haired girl only stared at the two new girls in wonder, while their red haired master gave them their orders.

"She is to be treated with utmost respect, and I expect the best care for her. Any disrespect will result in punishment. Now please prepare her for breakfast, and bring her to the deck when you are finished." he told the maids, his words commanding absolute obedience.

"Yes, master!" the maids chimed, one sounding more chipper than the other. Sasori and Deidara then excused themselves from the room to let the maids do their jobs.

Bounding happily over to the pink haired girl, Haruka 1 swiftly pulled the covers back.

"It is time to get up and take a wonderful bubble bath O-Hime-sama!" she said in a sing song voice as she helped the princess get out of the bed. Haruka 2 walked towards the wardrobe and pulled out several fluffy white towels before leading the way to the bathroom.

* * *

Once in the bathroom, the pink haired princess was stripped of her sleeping gown and was almost literally thrown into the giant ivory tub full of pink bubbles. The girl barely had time to adjust herself before the maids started scrubbing her skin and washing her hair with soaps and shampoos.

"Master Sasori speaks very highly of you, O-Hime-sama! You are the apple of his nose!" Haruka 1 revealed cheerfully as she massaged her hair with shampoo.

"It's the apple of his _eye_." Haruka 2 corrected in the same monotonous tone. The other Haruka laughed in embarrassment at her own mistake.

"Say O-Hime-sama, if you don't mind me asking, do you like Master Sasori as well?" Haruka 1 asked her eagerly as she rinsed her hair of suds. The pink haired princess wasn't sure how to respond, as she had no words to describe the man she just got to know the name of.

"Haruka, remember what Master said? O-Hime-sama does not have the habit of speaking." Haruka 2 reminded her, causing Haruka 1 to slightly slap her hand over her mouth at her error.

"That totally escaped my mind! I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me O-Hime-sama!" she exclaimed, her head hung low in shame. However, the pink haired princess was far from offended, and instead pleasantly surprised. She had never been in the company of females who spoke so much, and to her no less! It was something she could definitely get used to, and if she was able to, she most certainly would respond to their questions.

The two Harukas were soon finished scrubbing the princess clean and moved on to fill the bath with all sorts of aromatic oils and sprinkling fresh flower petals on top of the water. It was definitely something new, and she was especially intrigued by the flowers that they put in.

"Harukaaa, what do you think suits O-Hime-sama more? I think the roses compliment her extremely well!" Haruka 1 commented as she sprinkled said roses into the bath. The red roses contrasted brightly against her hair, and especially against her porcelain like skin.

"I personally think magnolias suit O-Hime-sama more. White like her skin." Haruka 2 replied with little emotion as she sprinkled said flowers into the bath as well. Indeed, the pure white blossoms complimented her skin just as much as the roses did. The pink haired princess held each blossom in one hand, enjoying the aromas both emitted.

_They're so pretty_.

Haruka 1's eyes lit up suddenly, as if she had come to a revelation. "O-Hime-sama does not have a proper name yet, and that just won't do!"

The other Haruka nodded in silent agreement, said princess also finding herself agreeing to the statement. This urged her to continue her point. "So how about we come up with a name for O-Hime-sama? If we pick a flower name which suits O-Hime-sama, I'm sure Master Sasori would not disagree!" she said in a cheerful tone, confident in her suggestion. Haruka 2 had a look of doubt on her face before she agreed to the suggestion.

"So Rose hime-sama it shall be!" Haruka 1 declared happily as she pumped a fist in the air.

Haruka 2 shook her head in disagreement. "No, it should be Magnolia hime-sama."

"No no, roses suits O-Hime-sama best! So it should be Rose hime-sama!" Haruka 1 said with a frown.

"Negatory. Magnolias suit O-Hime-sama much more." Haruka 2 insisted, a small frown on her lips also. The two maids then bickered back and forth over which flower was better suited for the princess, while the princess herself was too busy reveling in the beauty of the two blossoms in her hands to really pay attention.

* * *

"Ano... Sasori-danna, are you sure it's okay to leave Hime-sama with those two?" Deidara asked uncertainly as he poured tea into Sasori's cup.

"They were made specifically for this purpose, so of course it will be." Sasori replied without a trace of worry in his voice.

Haruka 1 and 2 are dolls that Sasori created for the sole purpose of taking care of his princess' needs. Brought to life by his special brand of magic- _Breath of Life, _the two dolls were each born with their own personalities as well as certain skill sets.

"Ehhh, it would be bad if they got into an argument and Hime-sama got dragged into it." Deidara said, thinking back to the many times he has witnessed the twins bicker and fight. Sasori said nothing to that, but inwardly hoped the twins didn't get into a quarrel.

* * *

After bickering for so long, the two decided on a temporary truce as they brought the pink haired princess to the dressing room.

"Rose-Magnolia hime-sama, these outfits have all been designed for your personal usage!" Haruka 1 exclaimed in her happy voice, although her name was said with slight stiffness. The dressing room was essentially a giant walk-in closet, for it contained racks upon racks of dresses, all tailored to fit the pink haired princess. There were also several mannequins which displayed some of the more elegant and delicate gowns. There was also an entire wall of shoes, a vanity table in the corner, and a display case full of expensive looking accessories.

"Magnolia-Rose hime-sama, please stand on the stool while we help you dress." Haruka 2 said, a slight edge to her voice as well when she spoke the name. The princess did as she was told and stood perfectly still on the stool in front of the full length mirror as the maids decided on which dress she should wear.

"Rose-Magnolia hime-sama should wear the Ruby Gown! It will suit her like the roses do!" Haruka 1 suggested firmly as she put it in front of the princess to reinforce her point. Haruka 2 grabbed a white dress and placed it in front of the Ruby Gown.

"I disagree. The Pearl Gown is much more suitable." her twin countered. A spark of electricity seemed to shoot from their eyes and clash violently. The two just could not come to an agreement in matters involving their Master's beloved princess.

"The Ruby Gown looks better!"

"Pearl Gown."

"RUBY!"

"Pearl!"

While the two maids were too busy arguing, the princess' attention was caught by a different dress. After several more moments of pointless bickering, she herself grabbed the dress and attempted to dress herself.

* * *

Finally dressed and presentable, the maids brought the pink haired princess to the deck, where Sasori patiently awaited their arrival. As the door opened, a gentle breeze blew by, carrying with it the salty sea air as well as warmth. She stared in amazement as she walked towards the table, taking in the sight of the vast blue waters that surrounded them and the gulls that flew gracefully in the clear blue sky.

_So beautiful_.

Sasori's sentiments exactly as he stared at the pink haired girl. She was dressed in a dark pink silk kimono adorned with pale pink sakura petals that formed intricate patterns all over, the obi an emerald green. Her hair had been tied into an intricate knot at the back of her head, leaving her bangs to frame her heart shaped face.

"We present to you Rose-Magnolia hime-sama, Master Sasori."

"We present to you Magnolia-Rose hime-sama, Master Sasori." the two maids chimed simultaneously. The two immediately glared at each other, but made no move to bicker in front of their master. They turned away from each other with a 'hmph' as they helped the princess into her chair.

Deidara had to cover his mouth to stifle his laughter this time, while Sasori only stared at the maids in confusion.

"Rose-Magnolia? Who came up with that?" he asked, his brow quirked up. Haruka 1 immediately stepped forward to explain.

"I did, Master Sasori. Forgive us for our insolence, but we just wanted to help O-Hime-sama come up with a name." she said with a bow.

"Oh, you two are so cute-yeah. Lemme guess, you liked Rose but Haruka liked Magnolia-yeah?" Deidara asked with good humour. The two maids blushed at being found out, but did not deny it.

"You two are forgiven, but what I want to know is, why flowers?" Sasori asked curiously.

"Master Sasori, we believed that flowers best resembled and complimented O-Hime-sama." Haruka 2 provided. Sasori contemplated the idea and was also in agreement to their suggestion as he carefully studied the pink haired girl. Her pastel pink hair did resemble the colour of flower petals, and her emerald eyes complimented the pink, like the leaves of the flower.

"That's not a bad idea-yeah. Though if you ask me, I think Lily of the Valley is quite fitting-yeah. They're quite delicate too!" Deidara suggested.

"That's way too long Deidara." Sasori pointed out.

"That's true yeah. What about Pansy?"

"No, it has a double meaning." Sasori said with disapproval.

"Petunia?"

"No way! O-Hime-sama is far superior to a petunia!" Haruka 1 protested.

"Then how about Poppy?"

"Rejected. They are associated with opium, and that will not befit O-Hime-sama." Haruka 2 opposed with a serious face.

Deidara sweatdropped but thought hard. "Ehh.. what about Rafflesia? They're pretty cool-yeah!"

"**Absolutely not!**" both Harukas and Sasori objected strongly. Although she may not be human, she is most definitely not a corpse.

"Err... what about Hibiscus then? It does mean delicate beauty!" Deidara proposed brightly after racking his brains for a suitable flower. The three thought about it, as the name was quite appropriate and meets their qualifications.

"Hime-sama, your opinion is the most important. Is there a particular name that you like?" Sasori asked gently. The pink haired princess thought hard for a few moments, reviewing the flowers that they mentioned before she pointed to the flower petals on her kimono.

_I like these._

Sasori was slightly surprised by her assertive action, but smiled warmly as he addressed his princess with her new name. "As you wish, Sakura-Hime."

The two maids smiled at each other, happy for their princess. Deidara grinned and congratulated her merrily, but what caused everyone to smile even brighter was the smile that graced Sakura's lips.

Although her first smile wasn't just for him, seeing her first smile was more than enough for Sasori.

_To be continued..._

* * *

And there you have it! :D I really wanted to play around with the idea that Sakura had no name, and how they came up with it in the end. Reviews are greatly appreciated, and stay tuned for the next chapter! :)


	3. Breath of Life

**Porcelain Doll**

DaCuteSnowbunny

* * *

~ Breath of Life ~

* * *

"Sasori-danna, where are we going exactly?" his attendant finally decided to ask after breakfast was over, and the maids had taken it upon themselves to show Sakura around the ship.

"We are going to my grandmother's." Sasori replied simply as they walked towards his study. Deidara almost fell over in shock, but quickly recovered.

"Your _grandmother's?_ But danna- you haven't seen her since... you know-yeah!" Deidara spluttered, still shocked at Sasori's decision. Sasori only lightly glared at Deidara before heaving a sigh.

"I have no choice, I need her help. Plus, what better place to avoid Orochimaru's men than my grandmother's? He would never guess I'd hide there." Sasori explained before allowing a slight smirk to grace his lips at the last part.

Chiyo is Suna Kingdom's royal advisor as well as being Sasori's grandmother and teacher. When Sasori was born, he had inherited the rare ability to wield magic. She taught him everything she knew as well as teaching him how to specialize in their brand of magic. There are many brands of magic, _Breath of Life_ being one of them. This type of magic deals mainly with healing the human body or animating objects. In Sasori's case, he's able to animate objects (but they are not _truly_ alive).

However, because of the nature of Sasori's magic, it caused huge disputes between the family, resulting in Sasori moving to Konoha. It had been a good ten years since he's seen his grandmother.

"You sure go to great lengths for Hime-sama." Deidara said in a slightly exasperated tone, shaking his head slightly.

Sasori smiled discreetly as he slowly started writing a letter to his grandmother.

_I will do anything for her_.

* * *

"Sakura Hime-sama~ Look at the beautiful lake!" Haruka 1 exclaimed cheerfully as she twirled around to emphasize her point.

"Haruka, this is the ocean, not lake." Haruka 2 deadpanned, causing her twin to fall over in embarrassment. Sakura's lips seemed to be permanently lifted at the corners, for she couldn't stop smiling at all their little antics. As she started to walk closer to the edge of the ship, there was a slight spasm in her leg, causing her to lose her balance. The maids were immediately at her side and supporting her firmly before she was even close to falling.

They exchanged knowing glances with each other before suggesting to Sakura that they should go below deck so she could rest. It wasn't until they passed by the kitchen that Sakura realized what was missing.

_I didn't get my medicine this morning_.

* * *

"Sasori- that brat! He leaves for God knows how long and speaks as if he's only been gone for a week!" an old woman fumed as she gripped the letter in her hand tightly. In a fit of fury, she bunched it into a ball, threw it down on the ground and stomped on it, along with the clay bird that delivered it for good measure.

Her brother merely looked on with slight amusement as he continued to fish, commenting lightly. "That should be a good thing, since it means he hasn't forgotten about us. I'm sure you miss him as much as I do."

"Hmph, who would miss that arrogant brat? As soon as he steps foot into this room, I'm going to beat him to a bloody pulp!" Chiyo said vehemently, but her smile betrayed her true feelings. She bloody missed that arrogant brat and couldn't wait to see him again. She settled back down beside her brother and continued their fishing session.

"I wonder why we haven't caught any fish yet."

"Your obnoxious yelling probably scared them all away."

Chiyo whacked him with her fishing pole.

* * *

"Danna, when did you get all this-yeah?" Deidara asked, sounding slightly confused as he looked at the massive collection of vials on Sasori's lab table. Sasori was now busy reading over the multiple pages of notes he has written all the while picking up certain vials and inspecting the contents inside.

"These are all the trial serums I've concocted for Sakura." he replied, not even looking at Deidara.

"Trial serums?"

"Sakura's body requires certain proteins and organic components in order for her to function. Knowing Orochimaru, at least 10% of her composition will contain some living component that requires these. If she doesn't receive it, then those parts will likely die off and she will not be able to function correctly." Sasori explained as he examined yet another vial, swirling the liquid inside slightly.

"Then have you perfected one yet-yeah?" Deidara asked as he picked up a vial himself and sniffed it, but quickly cringed away from the smell.

"I can't say, since I've only been testing on synthetic mice I've created. But vial 43 seems to be the most promising." Sasori replied as he injected said vial into a motionless mouse. After a moment, it's nose started to twitch before the rest of it's body was able to move.

_But one wrong component, and I might break her_. Sasori thought inwardly, his worry showing through his eyes.

"Danna, why don't you just use _Breath of Life_?" Deidara asked, confused why he was going through all this trouble to replicate Orochimaru's secret serum.

"If Sakura was an inanimate object then I could. She's very much alive, so my spells will take no effect."

Deidara was silent for a moment before he spoke up again.

"But what about _that_ spell?" he asked, his tone tentative. Sasori went absolutely still at his words.

"Absolutely not." he finally said after what seemed like forever to Deidara.

"But danna-"

"**No**, Deidara. I will not let her become human." Sasori said firmly, his voice barely above a whisper. Deidara was slightly taken aback, but respected Sasori's decision and left him alone to work.

_If she becomes human, I could lose her._

* * *

"Obaa-sama, it's a pleasure to see you again." Sasori greeted with a smile on his face as he stooped to give her a low bow. Chiyo merely sniffed before giving a snappy reply.

"Hmph, glad to know you still remembered little old me. Thought you might have been too... _preoccupied_." she said and threw a nasty look at Sakura. Sakura merely stared back, a slight smile on her lips as she observed her new surroundings.

Sasori chose to ignore the look she threw at Sakura and continued on pleasantly. "Of course not. But I _do_ have a request for my favourite grandmother."

His choice of words made Chiyo's already narrowed eyes narrow even more. Her eyes looked as if they were almost closed. "I'm your _only_ grandmother." she spat out, but her voice told him she wasn't actually annoyed.

"And why should I listen to this, _request_ of yours anyway? If anything, I should be punting you across Suna and back where you came from." she said with a sly smile on her lips. Sasori couldn't help but smile at his grandmother's insistence on being "difficult" with him.

"Because I'm your favourite grandson, right?" he teased, his lips smiling with mirth.

For the first time since he arrived, Chiyo allowed herself to break into a grin before replying. "Yeah, my _only_ cheeky and arrogant grandson. Well then, what does my incompetent grandson need grandma to fix up now?" she asked him in the same teasing tone.

Sasori turned and offered his hand to Sakura, silently asking for her hand. She stared at him for a moment before placing her hand on his and let him gently lead her to his grandmother, who's eyes had narrowed once again in scrutiny.

"I would like you to perform an examination on her." Sasori asked quietly.

_Examination?_ Sakura wondered curiously.

Chiyo eyed Sakura for a little while before responding to the request. "Sasori, do you take me for a fool? I may be senile, but not to the point when I can't tell the difference between a human and a homunculus."

"No obaa-sama, a _special_ examination." Sasori said, not wanting to use the term _analysis_. The word made Sakura sound too artificial, as if she was just a really detailed science project. Chiyo gave Sakura another long look before nodding in understanding.

"Very well. Send her to my private lab and I'll be there shortly." she huffed out before turning and headed off to her chambers to get ready.

"That went surprisingly well-yeah." Deidara piped up, after making sure Chiyo was out of ear shot. Chiyo hated it when Deidara spoke, and made it a point that he didn't when she was around.

Sasori turned back to Sakura and gave her an almost apologetic smile. "I'm sorry for not consulting you about this, but I'm just looking out for your well being. I promise everything will be okay." he assured her, holding her hands firmly. Sakura nodded her head in response, trusting the man who has been nothing but sincere and honest with her.

In the two weeks that it took to reach Suna Kingdom, Sasori made countless trial serums but never once used on Sakura. Although he had always been hailed as a scientific genius who wasted his talent by making dolls, his experiments had always been very successful. When it came to Sakura though, his confidence shattered. He couldn't bear the thought that if she broke down, it would be all his fault. That he would be the one to destroy his love.

Instead of being given the serum that would maintain her artificial body's full functions, Sasori only gave her the necessary proteins for the organic components so they would not waste away. She was still able to move her body, but it no longer felt natural; it was more robotic and stiff.

She had lost feeling in her hands after two days, her sense of touch numbed to almost nothingness. She noticed that her lungs didn't expand as easily as they did before, making it harder to take in oxygen. Several times, she stopped breathing because her lungs wouldn't work (she never really needed to anyway), but both Haruka 1 and 2 convinced her to not drop the habit.

With both Harukas at her side, she waited patiently for Chiyo to start her "examination".

* * *

Several hours later, which Sasori spent pacing steadily back and forth in his grandmother's study, Chiyo came back in with a grim look on her weathered face.

"How did it go?" Sasori asked as calmly as possible, holding back as much of the anxiousness as possible. Deidara had taken off hours ago to restock on his clay and supplies they needed.

Chiyo sat down in her chair and surveyed her grandson for a moment before saying in an annoyed voice. "If I had known Konoha had been hiding such a massive walking bomb, I would've told Kazekage-sama to make one of our own."

Her vagueness only intrigued Sasori even more. "What do you mean?"

"I'm saying, that _thing_ was built for assassination, reconnaissance and if necessary, mass destruction purposes." Chiyo said, her words laced with disdain. Sasori felt his temper rise when she called Sakura a "thing", but he couldn't very well lash out at her, after the huge favour she did for him.

"Please refrain from calling Sakura a thing, obaa-sama. She is as human as you and I." Sasori said, his eyes reproachful. Chiyo merely snorted but decided not to say she disagreed with his views.

"What did you find about Sakura?"

"I have taken some tissue samples from her- rest assured, no harm was done." she added quickly at seeing the alarm in Sasori's eyes.

"The full analysis report will be out in two days hopefully, so then we'll be able to construct the animation serum for her. I must say, Orochimaru really outdid himself on this one. But from the initial examination, I could tell that her organs are definitely made of some high grade plastics, but they are all molded from a form of C4.

Her major arteries become the major fuses that would detonate them, so I wouldn't advise using her as a meat shield. Her bones are definitely made of titanium, so no need to worry about her breaking a leg." Chiyo elaborated while throwing in a couple of jokes as well. His grandmother's preliminary analysis confirmed Sasori's suspicions, but he only nodded and motioned for her to continue.

"I've tested her body for reflex reactions and sensitivity. Her reflexes were rather slow, but that could be due to the fact that her body wasn't running on any of the maintenance fluids needed to keep her joints working. She was also never built with pain receptors, making her the perfect killing machine right? She can get slashed several times over and still plough on." she said in a cynical tone. Sasori's expression merely darkened at the thought of Sakura being used for that purpose. He knew she wasn't a national treasure just because she was the first artificial human. She had to be extremely valuable in another way in order to earn that status.

"Does she have working vocal chords?" Sasori asked, although he already guessed what the answer would be.

"She wasn't built with any." Chiyo replied dryly. Sasori's eyes dimmed slightly with something akin to sadness, disappointed he couldn't give Sakura the ability to speak.

Chiyo had only known her grandson up until he was ten years old. Even at that age, he was never an expressive child and was not very open about his thoughts with others. One could say he was an introvert. It was the first time she witnessed him openly showing so many emotions.

_'Well, I can't let my cheeky grandson look sad now can I?'_

Clearing her throat, "If it means so much to you, I could build some vocal chords for her. BUT in return, you must promise me something." Chiyo offered nonchalantly, giving the impression it wasn't a big deal to her.

Sasori thought he might have heard wrong. "Obaa-sama..."

"You must promise me you would never use _that_ spell on her." Chiyo told him sternly. Sasori's lips formed a grim line before nodding once. He never had the intention of using _that_ spell on her from the beginning. Surveying her grandson once more, she let out a tired sigh before slowly getting up from her chair.

"I can get the vocal chords made in a week. Give me her reply by tomorrow afternoon." she told him curtly before walking towards the door.

Sasori had never felt so grateful to his grandmother before. "I will have her answer by then." he affirmed.

Just before she left the room completely, she asked him the one question that had been bugging her since she read his letter.

"I always thought you hated Orochimaru. Why are you so in love with something he made?"

The question caught Sasori by surprise. When it looked as though he wasn't going to answer her, Chiyo moved to close the door completely. Just an inch from closing, she heard his soft reply.

"She was modeled after my first love."

* * *

And there you have it! :D Sorry it took so long to update. .

But I hope you guys enjoyed it! :) Reviews are always appreciated!


	4. Misaki

**Porcelain Doll  
**DaCuteSnowbunny

* * *

- _Misaki_ -

* * *

"Sasori, could you please explain to me the meaning behind your paper?" Orochimaru asked him in that silky voice of his, indicating he was not about to be pleased with whatever answer Sasori was going to give.

"It is simple, sensei. To maximize the compound's efficiency, reaction time needs to be increased. This is done by adding a catalyst that will remove itself from the system once the reaction happens." Sasori explained drily, a bored expression on his face.

Orochimaru smiled unpleasantly at his answer. "Has it ever occurred to you that such a catalyst does not _exist_?"

"It does in my experiments." Sasori stated simply.

If Orochimaru's smile was unpleasant before, then it became extremely nasty now. "You may be gifted with magic abilities Akasuna, but please be conscientious of the fact that a majority of science scholars are _not_. You may have made a great experiment, but if it cannot be replicated by others, then it is utter _garbage_." he spat before throwing Sasori's paper back at him.

"I will give you one week to redo your experiment and to hand in your paper. Failure to do so, and you will fail my class." he said in his falsely sweet polite tone before waving him out of his office. Without another word, Sasori turned his back on his professor and walked out of the classroom.

At the young age of eighteen, Sasori was already hailed as the youngest scientific genius since Orochimaru's time, though he wasn't too pleased with being put on the same pedestal as him. With the added bonus of being a magic user, he was able to produce astounding scientific discoveries in the area of medicine that very few are able to do. It was also no big secret that Orochimaru hated all magic users. Sasori was working towards finishing his final year at the prestigious School for the Medical Arts, aiming to specialize in the field of medicine.

"Hmm, what's got you in a huff this time?" a familiar female voice chimed from the doorway of the lab. Sasori ignored the speaker as he continued to draft a new experiment from scratch, all the while picturing Orochimaru's look of defeat once he's drafted an even better experiment than before, and _without_ magic in the equation.

"Oooh, I've been looking for this book for ages! Medicinal Discoveries of the Century. Do you mind if I borrow it for a few days?" the girl asked while giving him a toothy smile, which he did not see since his back was still towards her.

"You know I can't refuse when you request it sempai." Sasori muttered as he continued writing, scratching out stuff here and there occasionally.

"Awee, you're no fun today Sasori-chan~" she said in a sing-song voice. Her choice of honorific got to his nerves, causing him to turn around and glare at the girl. The girl beamed at him since she finally got him to turn around and look at her. His next reaction wasn't what she was expecting however.

He got up and briskly walked over to her, grasping her bandaged hand, "What happened to your hand?"

"Awe, you don't have to be that worried Sasori-chan, just a little acid burn. Nothing that can't be neutralized with baking soda solution." she said in a cheeky tone, but winced when he pressed his thumb on the burn.

"Hey, hey! That's no way to treat an injured person!" she yelped with a reproachful look and quickly yanked her hand away from his grasp, cradling it protectively against her chest. Sasori merely crossed his arms and gave her his you-can't-fool-me face.

"If it was a little burn, there's no need to use such heavy bandages. What did you really burn yourself with?" he demanded in a voice that left no room for arguments. He knew she was a klutzy person by nature, but once she was in a lab, her persona completely changes. He knew she would never make a mistake such as burning herself with acid, as he had observed her on several occasions as she conducted her experiments. The precision and grace that she possessed was nearly unrivaled.

"Ugh, if I tell you, then my status as a sempai will fall even lower." the girl whined before giving in to the stern look Sasori gave her. Her status as a sempai was next to nonexistent with this person.

"My lab partner accidentally knocked over the solution I was heating, which splashed onto my hand. But it's been treated already, so it'll be fine." she explained, giving a little sigh at the end. Sasori took her hand again, but was gentler this time. He muttered a couple choice words before her hand was wrapped in a warm green glow. A soft, serene smile appeared on her face as she watched him work his magic.

"You're so sweet Sasori-chan."

"Would you stop it with the honorific already?" he replied with annoyance in his voice.

"Only if you start using my name." she countered, a cheeky smile on her face.

"..."

"Awee, is Sasori-chan too shy to say my name?" she teased after a moment of silence. The glow faded, but he still held on to her hand. She saw his lips move, but she barely caught his words.

"Hmm? Did you say something Sasori-chan?"

He muttered something again, but almost as indiscreetly as before.

She cupped her free hand behind her right ear and leaned a little closer towards him. "I'm sorry, either my hearing is failing me already, or you're speaking like a mute."

A vein popped on his forehead. "Haruno-san, mutes can't speak. Your old age must be the cause of your hearing failure." Sasori said through gritted teeth, a slight blush dusting his cheeks.

Rather than being mad at his jab at her age, she laughed jovially. "You finally said it! Well, not quite, but it's a start! And you're even blushing! Oh you're such a cute kid." she said and even gave his cheek a slight pinch. He quickly swatted her hand away and finally let go of her formerly injured hand.

"Don't call me cute." he told her curtly as he returned to designing a new experiment.

Although he would never admit to anyone (or even himself), Akasuna Sasori was deeply in love with his sempai- Haruno Misaki. The first time they met was in his first lab class, where she demonstrated a simple planaria dissection. But what struck him was the grace and precision of her movements, contrasting her rather clumsy introduction at the beginning.

When he first started out in the school, it was only to satisfy his ego. This prestigious school was made for only the extremely wealthy and noble families. Being an exception due to his magic abilities, he was able to get a specialized scholarship into the school. Although many believe he pulled many strings in order to get in, Sasori got in with his talent and skills alone, which still took a lot of work and effort.

At the end of his first year, his lab proposal had gotten so much praise that the professors gave him special permission to conduct the experiment. Haruno Misaki, a graduating student at the time became his lab assistant. At first he was uncomfortable with the idea of working with someone else on a project he designed (for he preferred solitude by nature), but the more he got to know her, the less he minded her presence.

Of course, her always upbeat attitude and talkative nature took some getting used to, but he was able to tune her out gradually. When it came time to choose his specializations, without a second thought, he chose medicine. At first he had no idea what possessed him to make such a decision, but after doing some soul-searching, he knew it was to support her.

Although initially entering the school just to satisfy his ego, he now had a solid goal. Haruno Misaki aspired to succeed her father as the next Royal Medical Advisor, so he wanted to support her the same way she did for him. Therefore he aimed to become the next Head Pharmacist of the Court.

But all he could ever be is her support, and nothing more.

"Hey Sasori, you are graduating after this year right?" Misaki asked him by the doorway, her voice quiet.

"Provided _he_ doesn't fail me." Sasori replied after a while.

She laughed lightly at that. "I'm sure he won't. He may sound like he hates you, but he actually gives your work a lot of praise in front of the other professors."

Sasori said nothing, choosing to ignore what she said.

"Will you continue to support me?" she asked him softly.

"That's a pointless question." Sasori shot back immediately.

"Then, you will come... right?" she asked him once again. Sasori's hand stilled at the question, before glancing at the crisp white envelope that lay unopened on the corner of his desk.

There was another long stretch of silence. When Misaki thought he was just going to ignore the question, she turned to leave.

"You know I can't." he muttered quietly, but she still caught it.

Giving him one last sad smile, she nodded at his reply, "I understand."

He could only ever be her support, and nothing more.

For she was Orochimaru's fiancée.

* * *

It was a marriage of convenience. Orochimaru was a world renowned Biologist, famous for his discovery on cures for diseases that previously meant death for others. Misaki's father believed if his daughter married that man, he would be able to support her into becoming the next Royal Medical Advisor.

Orochimaru's status in the King's eyes were also extremely high. If he were his son-in-law, it would no doubt elevate his position in the kingdom. It was a marriage arrangement that Misaki couldn't refuse.

* * *

The night before the wedding, Sasori had planned on performing an extremely difficult experiment that would require his absolute attention.

He did not want to think about his favourite person getting married to someone else.

Especially to _him_.

That old fart.

Someone knocked on his door. He glanced at the cuckoo clock on his wall, indicating it was well past midnight.

_Who on Earth could it be at this time?_

Deciding to ignore the knock, he continued with his preparations. The knocking continued, becoming more insistent and louder each time.

Convinced it was just some drunkard knocking on the wrong door, Sasori started to measure out his ingredients. Then a familiar clicking noise was heard, making him pause.

_Click click click_

He could hear the gears and mechanisms of his lock being undone. Aside from his late father who taught him the ways of undoing locks (for he was a locksmith), Sasori himself only taught one other person how to pick locks.

When the lock clicked open, Sasori held his breath unintentionally as the person walked closer to his room. She stopped at the doorway, greeting him with that cheerful smile of hers. "Sorry for the intrusion, but your hearing seemed to have failed you, so I let myself in." she said in that cheeky tone of hers.

His eyes widened at the sight of her, but he was quick to cover up the shock that was displayed on his face. He switched to glaring at the girl. "Haruno-sempai, breaking and entering is illegal." he told her in a calm and cold voice.

Her smile dropped by a few watts, but she continued to smile nonetheless. "Funny you say that, when you're the one who taught me how to pick locks."

"You shouldn't be here." Sasori continued in the same cold voice, turning his head away from her and choosing to glare at his wall instead.

"I know." Misaki said, her voice barely above a whisper. Her eyes reflected all the conflicted emotions she felt, but Sasori refused to meet them.

"I just... wanted to talk with you a little. Then I'll go." Misaki told him. Sasori did not say anything, his mask of indifference in place.

_What more is there to talk about?_ Was the unspoken question that his body language seemed to convey.

"Sasori, do you currently have someone you love?" she asked him sincerely. He immediately noticed the lack of honorifics when she said his name.

"No." he replied bluntly.

_Liar._

Misaki smiled humourlessly, "Oh, that's too bad. But... I do." she confessed, her hands clasped in front of her chest. Sasori couldn't help but glance at the hand that he had once healed. The same hand that would soon wear the ring binding her to _him_ for life. He quickly looked away.

"He's not an expressive person, but they always say, actions speak louder than words right?" she continued.

_Why are you telling me this?_

"He's passionate about his work, and always strives for the best."

_I don't want to hear it!_

Sasori tried to tune her out like he always does, but couldn't seem to do it this time. It was like her voice was able to pierce through the mental barrier that he always put up. "Everyone says he's cold or heartless, but he does show he cares in his own way."

"Stop..." Sasori muttered under his breath.

"He's actually really sweet once you get past all the rude remarks and poker face."

"Stop..!" Sasori repeated, this time louder and sounding more pained.

Misaki seemed to have turned deaf once again, carrying on her little rant. "He thinks I don't notice, but I know whenever he tunes me out. I think he secretly enjoys hearing my voice, which is why he never tells me to go away." she said, giving a slight laugh at the end.

_Stop telling me this._

"His eyes are the prettiest when-"

"Stop..."

"But I think..-"

"Please, stop..!"

"Though he doesn't really notice-"

"**Stop telling me this!**" Sasori finally exploded, effectively cutting Misaki off. A ringing silence hung in the air. Sasori was shocked at his outburst, as he rarely lost control of his emotions. But he was more shocked at the fact that her words affected him that much. After what felt like an eternity, Sasori decided to break the silence.

"Why?" he asked simply, his mask already back in place. He felt drained, and he hadn't even started his experiment.

"Because the one I love is _you_." she said sincerely, a sad smile on her lips. Sasori grit his teeth, his hands forming fists at his sides.

"You're unfair." he said quietly, sounding almost bitter.

_What do you want me to do?_

"I know."

_I can't love you._

"But I don't want to have any regrets."

She started walking towards him, her intense emerald eyes trained on his. It was as if he finally saw her for the first time. In his dimly lit room, her normally cerise coloured hair appeared fuchsia but her emerald eyes were as bright as ever.

_Don't come any closer!_

Sasori mildly panicked, taking a step back for every step she took forward. Finally cornered, between her and the wall, he was left with no where to go. Although he was a good two heads taller than her, he still felt irrationally intimidated by her advance.

"Kiss me." was her simple request. Her words repeated slowly in his mind, as if travelling through molasses. His heart rate picked up, pounding loudly in his chest.

_I can't do it._

"Haruno-sempai, please stop this."

_Even if I want to._

"Say my name." she demanded, stepping even closer to him. Their bodies barely an inch apart. His heart was beating impossibly loud at this point.

_You already belong to another man_.

"I can-"

"Just once." she pleaded softly, her lips ending in a pout. He found it hard to deny her request when she pleaded like that. His clenched fists becoming sweatier by the second.

_When you..._

"Mi..."

_Do things like this..._

"-Sa..."

_It makes it harder..._

"-Ki..."

_To let you go..._

Misaki pushed herself up and pressed her lips to Sasori's, breaking the mask he had been hiding behind, and any control he had over his emotions were gone. After the initial shock, he returned her kiss with a passion she didn't know how to describe, but it was answer enough to her confession. When the need for air became too great, the two broke apart but their gazes remained connected.

However, their moment of bliss was broken when the cuckoo clock on the wall chirped loudly, signalling it was already three in the morning. Coming back to reality, the two slowly broke apart. Misaki swiftly turned towards the door, while Sasori turned to glare at the clock, as if everything was the clock's fault.

"It's a shame you won't be attending the wedding." were her last words before the door closed behind her.

* * *

While half the population in Konoha kingdom was interested in the wedding taking place that very afternoon, only one man was indifferent to the occasion. Precisely when the vows were exchanged, this man boarded the ship that would take him far away from Konoha.

_Away from her._

And he would not return until well after the wedding had taken place, not knowing he would never see her again.

* * *

"Sasori..."

A familiar voice echoed from somewhere far away. He mentally tried to push them away, trying to delve back into his dreams.

"Sasori..."

The voice slowly became clearer, though he couldn't quite place a face to it yet.

"Sasori-danna...!"

Sasori's eyes snapped open, his mind instantly cleared of any sleep induced confusion and aware of his surroundings.

"Sasori-danna, you slept in a little longer than usual today, so I thought I'd wake you up-yeah." Deidara said, sounding slightly concerned.

Sasori sighed tiredly as he ran a hand through his unruly crimson locks. "It's nothing. Just had an extremely long dream." he lied. It was not a dream, but a memory.

Deidara's expression darkened slightly. "You dreamed about that again?"

Sasori glared at Deidara, but did not deny it.

"It wasn't your fault, danna."

"Deidara." Sasori said in a warning tone.

Deidara raised both hands in front of him in surrender. "I'm not opening that can of worms danna. But I just want to say you need to let the past go-yeah." he said before leaving the room promptly.

Getting up from his bed, he walked over to the velvet curtains and pulled them back. From his window, he was able to get a clear view of the castle's gardens, although a stark contrast to the green gardens he was used to in Konoha. There, he spotted the twins escorting Sakura on a leisurely walk, stopping here and there to admire the desert flora.

However, Sasori's eyes were fixated on Sakura, her emerald eyes hauntingly similar to the one in his dreams.

_I can't let go._

* * *

Whooo, it's been so long since I've written such a long chapter! I've been wanting to get this chapter for a while now, as this idea had been on my mind for.. ever. XD I just wanted to spend a chapter elaborating on a bit of Sasori's past, and I assure you the story will get a move on once a couple past events have been cleared. I hope you enjoyed it! :)

Reviews/constructive criticisms/comments will make me super happy! :)


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